Needle holder



Sept. 18, 1928.

U. S. CHAPMAN NEEDLE HOLDER Filed Jan. 2) 1926 EA. Um awocwtoz FatentedSept. 18, 1928.

UNITED stares UL YSSQES S CHAPMAN, OE GARTHAGE, MISSOURI.

NEEDLE nonnnn.

Application filed January 2, 1926. Serial No 78,095).

This invention aims, to provide novel means whereby a surgeon or otherperson may grip, hold, and release, a needle or other object, withoutrendering it necessary to use more than one hand on the tongs whichengages the needle.

It within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and toenhance the utility ofdevices of that type to which the inventionappertains.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the de tails of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the drawings 2 Figure 1 shows in elevation, a device con structed inaccordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section;

Figure 3 is an elevation wherein the device is viewed at right angles tothe showing of Figure 2, parts being broken away;

Figure at is a fra-gmental elevation disclosing one of the springs andattendant parts;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 2. i

The tool forming the subject matter of this application comprises levers1 and 2 which are halved together and crossed, the levers beingpivotally connected at 3, at their point of crossing. The levers 1 and 2terminate in jaws 4 which may be roughened as at 5, to hold a needle,the aws having depressions 6 on their inner surfaces which coact toreceive any enlargement on the object which is being held between thejaws 4:. The lever 2 terminates in a loop 7 which forms a socket for thereception of the fingers of the operator. The first lever 1 has no suchloop. In order to separate the levers 1 and 2, and consequently the jawsa a spring tongue 8 is se; cured at9 to the second lever 2 at a pointnear to the end of the said lever, the spring tongue 8 having a curvedend 10 which bears slidably on the inner edge of the lever 1 at a pointintermediate the ends of the said lever.

A means is provided for holding the jaws 4 engaged with the needle, andthis means includes a latch 11, one end of which extends into a recess12 formed in the inner edge of the lever, 2, the latch being mounted ona pivot element 1 1 carried by the lever land extended across the recess12. The latch 11 has a transverse projection A spring tongue 16 isprovided, and is connected by a securing" member 17 with the lever 2'."The spring tongue 16 has notch 18 receiving the latch 11, the inneredge of the spring tongue 16 bearing against the projection 15 onthcvlatch 11, and swinging the latch auto,- n iatically, so that a rack21 on the'latch will cooperate with a k eper 20 formed on the lever 1,the keeper 2() extending into an opening 19 in the lever 1, the latch 11extending slidably through the opening 19, and being supplied at itsouter end with abut-ton 22.

In practical operation, the operator can take the levers 1 and 2 in onehand, the fingers of that hand extending through the loop 7, and thelevers being pressed together. A. needle or other object is grippedbetween the jaws 4E. When the levers 1 and 2 are pressed together, asabove explained, the latch 11, under the action of the spring 16, is sooperated that the rack 21 rides along the keeper 20 and engagesautomatically therewith, the spring 8 being compressed. W hen theoperator wishes to release the latch 11, he can do this by tilting thelatch on its pivot element 14, the thumb of the operator being engagedwith the button 22, the thumb on the same hand which is engaged throughthe loop 7. Nhen the latch 11 is disengaged from the keeper 20, theimplement swings to an open position under the operation of the tongue8.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is simple inconstruction, and it is so made that it maybe closed and opened by onehand of an operator, the other hand of the operator being left free, andthe implement, in nowise being a two-hand tool.

It is to be observed that the means 14: for mounting the latch 11pivotally, the means 17 for securing the first spring 16, and the means9 for securing the second spring 8, are all mounted on the second lever2. This is an advantage in assembling the tool, and espe cially inmanufacturing it, because practically all of the hand work is done onthe'lever 2, the hand work being the threading of the hole for the screw9, the mounting of the screw 9 in place, the threading of the hole forthe screw 17 the mounting of the screw 17 in place, and the mounting ofthe pivot element 14. The person who does the handwork is not calledupon to shift from one lever of the tool to the other, and a saving intime results. The button 22 on the latch llis of larger area than, theopening 19, and, consequently, neither the direct thrust of the secondspring 8 against the first lever 1, nor the reaction of the first spring16 against the second lever 2, can swing the first lever 1 clear of thelatch 11, and the tool always is in working condition. This isespecially desirable in view of the fact that the tool is employed insurgery, where, necessarily, there is no time for adjusting orassembling unhan dy instruments.

What is claimed is A tool of the class described, comprising pivotallyconnected first and second levershaving jaws, the first lever beingprovided with a transverse opening, a ratchet latch extended through theopening and engageable with the first lever, a first spring engaging thelatch to 20 hold it in working position, a second spring engaging thefirst lever and tendin to open the jaws, means for mounting the datchfor swinging movement, means for securing the first spring, and meansfor securing the second spring; the tool being characterized by the factthat all three of the means specified are mounted on the second lever,thereby confining the hand work, in manufacture and assembly, to thatlever; and the tool being further characterized by a button on the outerend of the latch and of larger area than the opening, whereby neitherthe direct thrust of the second spring against the first lever, nor thereaction of the first spring against the second lever, can swing thefirst lever clear of the latch. I i p In testimony that I claim theforegoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature.

ULYSSES S. CHAPMAN.

